Jack Blocker Makes American Idol 2024 Finale, Completing Dark Horse Run on Disney Night
American Idol Season 22 is coming to a close very soon. Sunday Night’s show was the annual Disney round that has been a staple of the show since its beginnings on ABC. The Top 5 battled for a spot in the Finale while performing two Disney rounds. One performer who’s had an unlikely run to the finale is Texas entertaining folk singer, Jack Blocker. (Read our Recap)
He isn’t the first singer to make it far on Idol while receiving a no during his audition, but what’s crazy is Jack actually received two no’s in his audition from judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie while Luke Bryan and the crew convinced Lionel to turn his no into a yes.
Jack Leans Into “Nobody’s Fool” from Cars 2
At Disney World, Jack met with Disney night mentor, country star Kane Brown. Kane encourages Jack as he sings is song choice, “Nobody’s Fool” by Brad Paisley from Cars 2. Kane suggests that he wear wear something with a bit of “sparkle,” and observes that Jack ahs “this swagger about him.” He also advises that the singer “lean over” and really show his confidence.
The song is right up Jack’s alley as it’s both soulful and folksy, and he croons it in a bit of an old-school style that still feels fresh. He takes Kane’s advice on stage, taking the mic stand and leaving over as he sings. His stage performance is a bit quirky but it’s totally him. This performance isn’t groundbreaking, but his vocals are very solid all around, and the little pop of grit in his voice is interesting.
Luke compares him to Fred Astaire saying, “You’ve got that swag!” Lionel says, “You dropped the mic and then picked it up. That was incredible.” He makes up a stage for him “Jack Swagger.” Katy argues it is a “Jack attack.”. Katy, who is dressed as Cinderella, notes how she stood in his way early on calling herself a “step-sister” and says if he wins, it will be a “real Cinderella story.”
Jack Puts a Spin on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”
At Disney World, Jack is hanging out by Cinderella’s castle, and as the Dapper Dans perform, his mom, Karen pops out, surprising him. They ride roller coasters together even though he doesn’t like roller coasters. They share a moment for Mother’s Day as his mom shows how proud she is. Jack is grateful for her support.
He sings David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” from Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny for his Round 2 song. It is a bit of an offbeat song choice. He puts his own spin on it. It’s intriguing to start, and he really has a moment when he hits the chorus. This performance may be a bit polarizing, but he showed a lot of layers vocally as he ends the performance with some nice falsetto moments. Jack has taken a lot of risks across the season and that is what has turned him into the dark horse of the season especially after interesting singers like Kayko were voted off. Fun fact: According to Lyndsey Parker at MusicTimes.com, Jack is the first to sing a Bowie song in competition.
Katy says “Surprise is the best form of attack,” adding, “I don’t think anyone is getting up to go to the bathroom during your performance.” Luke notes Jack’s growth and states, “That’s the kind of left-of-center Jack we’ve come to know.” Lionel says, “If you think your mom is proud of you now, wait until that career blossoms. You’re going to be something else.”
Jack advances with Abi Carter and Will Moseley to the Finale
Jack advanced to the finale along with Abi Carter and Will Moseley. America actually voted for the three best vocalists remaining, so the finale should be strong. Other than Jack’s performances, Abi turned in two dynamic performances with “Part of Your World” and Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” while Will brought the house down with the rocking “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf. It was a solid night, but I wish Disney wasn’t a theme so late in the game as it can hinder some artistry from the singers.
Next week, it’s the finale mentored by Jon Bon Jovi. There are a slew of guest performers including the judges that will be there to perform with singers from the season who made it far. I would for Jack to be paired up with James Bay who is a guest next week. And I wouldn’t mind if Jack sang one of his signature songs like “Let It Go” or “Hold Back The River” on a duet.
